Exclusive Cover Reveal: Hi Jack! by Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli

If you had x-ray vision, you’d know that I have a soft spot in my heart for early readers. You know what I’m talking about:

When I learned that Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli were teaming up for a new early reader series about a mischievous monkey called Hi Jack! I was happy to hear the news. I feel like the form is in good hands with those two. Barnett’s been circling early readers with his clear, concise writing in books like Sam & Dave Dig a Hole and Triangle, and Pizzoli has a Theodor Geisel medal and honor (an award that often goes to early reader books) to his name.

So, for the very first time, let’s have a look at the covers of the first two books in the Jack series, Hi Jack! and Jack at Bat:

(Click to enlarge)

I had a few questions about the series, including:

How many bananas did Pizzoli draw for the books?

What is the perfect ripeness at which to enjoy a banana?

What are these books about?

How do you make an early reader?

I decided to get some answers by trying something I’ve never tried before: a Google hangout.

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

About 100 Scope Notes

Children's literature news, reviews and assorted school librarian oddities. Combine one part kid's books, one part school librarianship, a splash of absurdity and you get 100 Scope Notes.

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com. He's also on...